9 Tips on Finding a Web Vendor That Can Take Your Website to the Next Level

THE NEW YEAR IS A GOOD TIME to take a fresh look at your website—your front door to business—and ask “is it helping my business grow, or standing in the way of growth?”

Start with these questions:

How does our website compare to our competitors'?
What is a viewer's first impression?
Is it instantly clear what we do and how we can benefit our clients?
Is the navigation intuitive?
Does our website telegraph the brand attributes that will attract customers?
Are we using video, “snackable” content, persuasive writing, and great design to differentiate us?
Is it easy to contact us?
Is the call-to-action unmistakably clear?
Are we using top-tier images—or do they deliver a so-so impression?
Is our website easy to update?
Are we getting good analytics and adapting our site based on visitor patterns?
Does our website have the functions we need?
Is our website secure?

If you’re not quite there yet, the right web development firm can help you take your website to the next level—and in the process, make it easy, painless, and affordable to give your website a true competitive advantage.

Here are 9 tips on picking a web vendor that can help take the worry out of the process:

1. Identify websites that you like and compare them to your prospective vendor's portfolio.

2. Ask how they'd remedy problems you've identified with your current site.

3. Define the functions you want and ask whether they can provide them
(ex: e-commerce, blog).

4. Ask them to outline their process and to define what they believe makes a good website.

5. Make sure the platform they're using is secure and allows you to expand as needed.

6. Determine whether you want to maintain your site, and ask to preview the user interface.

7. Find a team that can provide all the services you need. These might include: strategy, web writing expertise (it’s not the same as other writing), video production, photography, design, programming, and user experience expertise.